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On the move: Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker was born in Leicester on November 30, 1960 (Churchills birthday, hence his middle name, Winston) and began his football career at Leicester City in 1976. He went on to play for Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur, and for England from 1984 to 1992, becoming the national teams second highest goal scorer. He never received a yellow or red card. Now a BBC presenter, he is recently divorced and has four sons

It hasn’t been the easiest of years for football’s Mr Nice Guy. In August Gary Lineker and his wife of 20 years were divorced in a ceremony that reportedly lasted just 70 seconds (cue headlines, No More Mr Nice Guy, and Lineker’s Wife Shown Red Card) while in April his brother Wayne was sentenced to 2½ years in jail for tax fraud.

But after enduring a torrid time in the media spotlight for all the wrong reasons Lineker is now back where he is most comfortable: debating the merits of 4-4-2 with Alan Hansen and interrogating Garth Crooks on the goings on in the players’ tunnel while the new football season gets into its swing.

Most people wouldn’t have it any other way. There is something about Lineker that doesn’t lend itself to scandal, salacious headlines and kiss and tells.